Top-seeded Anastasia Myskina dispatched Bulgaria's Tszvetana Pironkova 6-4, 6-2 to reach the Istanbul Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday.
"For a first match it wasn't bad," Myskina said.
"I'd never played her before, but I knew she beat Venus (Williams) at the Australian Open, so I was ready for a tough match."
Myskina, who had a first-round bye, also complained about the quality of the clay for a second day.
The Russian is still trying to find her feet on clay this season and top off her preparation for the French Open, the scene of her greatest triumph and worst loss.
Myskina earned her only Grand Slam title at Roland Garros in 2004, but became the first defending champion to lose in the first round last year.
Other winners
Israel's Shahar Peer, winner of this month's Prague Open, won her first-round match over American Jamea Jackson 6-2, 6-1.
Fifth-seeded Sania Mirza of India defeated local wild card Ipek Senoglu 6-3, 6-1.
Mirza hadn't played since early April because of back and wrist injuries.
"It's always tough to play your first match after a while away, and clay isn't really my favourite surface," Mirza said.
"Considering those factors I was pretty happy with the match today," she added.
Seventh-seeded Mara Santangelo of Italy also advanced when Melinda Czink of Hungary retired with an ill stomach after losing the first set.
Third-seeded Anna Chakvetadze of Russia was ousted 1-6, 6-4, 6-0 by Meghann Shaughnessy of the United States, who in Morocco on Sunday for her first title in three years.
Other winners included Tamira Paszek (Austria), Mashona Washington (US), Anastasiya Yakimova (Belarus), qualifier Urszula Radwanska (Poland) and Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia). (AP)